How did you grow?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Feb 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

theredhead	21 Feb 2003
Here is another question to be thrown out before I head out for work for a few days. I am curious, as i learn, and study tarot, try to awaken my intuition, learn to hear my own innner voice, as i grow in this, i wonder how others accomplished it. I have begun to understand Umbrae's reasoning behind getting rid of the LWB, i find it throws in too many variables, too many possiblities, so that i cannot hear my own voice. But i will admit at times (more often than not) my inner voice is completly silent and i hear nothing. On the more practical side, I throw a 2 card cover and cross almost everyday, i throw spreads on a regular basis to try and see into situations, and I find myself really studying my cards, to see how they are interconnected and reaching for books alot less. I also realize this is a life long process. I cannot help but ask this question regardless because when i do i learn more than i expect. So here goes with what may be a complicated question, to those who are experienced and to the not so experienced like myself, what things did you do to help you grow in reading and understanding tarot? If you had a newbie say to you i want to learn to read tarot, what would be your suggestions? Thanks to any in advance will to help

Kiama	21 Feb 2003
Well, I started out by simply doing lots of readings for myself and my closest friends... Even if I didn't know the meanings of the cards nor how to interpret, I could learn very quickly what books said about them. That's okay if you wanna go by what the book says though, and, as Umbrae has said so many times, the books can get in the way. So, the way I learned to really read intuitively was to tell stories. Deal out 5 cards, with no question, and make up a story which fits in with the pictures in the cards: Not the meanings, just the images. (Helps to have illusrated Minors!) This way, you start practicing a method of reading known to me as 'The Art of Saying What you See', and you'll be amazed at how well your story fits into the card meanings! When I got used to this, I then decided to do lots of readings for others who I didn't know so well. I went to the Reading Exchange forum on Aeclectic, and offered readings to people. I would read for people in pubs, just simple three-card readings. I would read for new friends, and I would read or myself. I see a pattern... Read, read, read! (Cards, not books!) Kiama

Laurel	21 Feb 2003
I took my first deck of cards (Voyager) with me everywhere. I read the little book, I stared at the cards, I kept them under my pillow, I developed a love affair for them and with them. I put hours and hours into study and readings and it just all... grew from there. ~LAS

WolfSpirit	21 Feb 2003
I learned a lot from aeclectic ! What I would do is go to the readings section, lay the spreads people had, try to read it, then read the posts of more experienced readers. Finding the meaning of one card was not so difficult - it was connecting them I had problems with (and I don't think you can learn this from a book - there are so many possible card combinations, how is a book going to list them all ?) Reading other people's interpretations is sometimes also confusing, as they will come up with different meanings, but it also built my confidence because you find everyone has a different way of interpreting, and yours is just as good as anyone elses. What also helped is doing daily readings (I do a 3-card reading for that), you will often find over a period the same cards re-occurring, these are cards that are important for you at that time. If you write down your interpretations every day, you can read back what you found for those cards. I sometimes still do one-card readings (well I'm still a newbie a bit to be honest) asking: what is the most important advice in this matter or something like that. Then I think about that card, later (maybe the next day or so) I can expand that by asking clarifying questions on that. This is sometimes easier than doing a whole spread with a lot of cards to interprete at once.

Alex	22 Feb 2003
Very much in the beginning, I used to subscribe an e-mail list that offered some practice exercises. Once a week, the moderator would present a situation about a hypothetical querent, and ask a question. We would then shuffle our decks, pick one card and answer the question based on that card. I did that for months. That I can recall, the list is the one below: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/learning_the_tarot/?yguid=113373528 It is easier to learn while practicing, than it is to learn by asking questions like "what do you all think the eight of pentacles mean?" and then read all the answers, or to read the meanings in a book. Because the cards don't "mean" anything outside a context, and what they mean does not matter if there is no question to be answered. Besides that, what I have learned, for what it's worth, I have learned posting on and reading the "My Readings" forum in Aeclectic. That is the greatest place to practice.

Umbrae	22 Feb 2003
I had one deck. No books. I read the cards. I read for friends I read for strangers I read for drunks I read for money I read for drinks and even read for…never mind. I read. I encountered many stumbling blocks. Think on this…you have a party of three young women sitting in front of you (you may picture guys), the cards laid out like little flowers on a table…the girls have the whole night ahead of them and the cards are in front of you…and they mean nothing…your looking down at them and see only pieces of cardboard with ink on them…the mind is racing, “what’s it mean?” And you look up at those little cherubic faces waiting expectantly for that…(why do they come to us…? Why do you read…?)…and you don’t need the cards – the next few weeks or their lives are laid out for you as pretty as a Kevin Smith screenplay… How do you grow? You read – journal – read – journal – review your journal once a month and read more. Review your readings… But know you will always be imperfect. Although I don’t journal like I used to, I go back and read readings I have done and swear at myself, “How could I be so stupid to have not seen that! It is there as plain as day and I did not read it!?! I read with my head and not my heart. My left brain was speaking and I was not listening to my right. It is all a metaphor, the cards, the shuffling…runes…toothpicks. Be sure to touch flowers, and smell the air, dance under the stars…and read for strangers in real life…the internet is cold…find a place to read in real life… Write to Dark Electic, and ask her.

Alissa	22 Feb 2003
Fantastic advice has already been given. My own experience was I laid down cards and tried to figure out what they were trying to say to me. It took about 5 years to really get that to happen on any predictable basis, but I didn't read a whole lot at that point -- just sporadically. When I was ready to start book learning, I picked up some fantastic resources that helped me reshape my views of the cards, and add new dimensions to how I read. Daily cards are a great way of staying in touch with your deck with minimal effort, and expends the effort of trying to continue your personal growth. Intuition's voice speaks softly, but it speaks and with attention you can learn to zero in on it. It does, for most, take a little time though. Best wishes to you as you read!! Laying spreads for family and friends is another way to happily build your relationship with your cards. The LWB can be helpful if you're stuck, but you may enjoy pushing yourself to look and see inside instead. And I agree on journalling as well ... I found it fabulously helpful.

theredhead	24 Feb 2003
To all a huge thank you, I love this place. There is no book that can represent the viewpoint and incorporate the experiences of 6 different readers. I had to laugh, i too put my cards on the shelf of my headboard at night, never thought about it but i guess i do sleep with them. I am glad to hear i am not over doing the spreads. A friend calls and tells me a problem, i throw a 5 card, and look and listen. My step daughter called, threw a spread relating to that. Very informative (not on her but the adults around her). Someone posts a reading, I've been laying them out and trying to see the picture represented by the cards. When someone posted a question about a card, i drew three cards and attempted to understand his viewpoint from that. Damn i wish i could go back and ask him about that one. Maybe i should have. My family just watches and chuckles, indulging me. One son is a born again christian, (we had to have talks about tolerance) and thinks my cards should set the table on fire. My other son is afraid of them and doesn't like the idea, doesn't want to see the future( i think he's afraid i'll see something about him, he doesn't realize i have mother's intuition for that one) My daughter is a psychology major in college and thinks i am a little crazy (in a nice sort of way) for "letting my life be decided by little cards", i haven't tried to enlighten her, my kids wonder if i have become a little strange. My fiance (the one who got me started) is not really serious about learning, but he indulges me the most. Regardless it is good to know that i am not in the minority with being a little obsessed at the moment with understanding these cards. I tend to be an immmersion type of person when i want to learn or do something and this has not been any different. I cannot explain to others the changes that studying tarot has brought into my life. It would be impossible to put into words and few would understand (except those here at AT), but it has taught me more about myself, and the currents around me, than i ever thought possible, for some reason i find myself laughing a little more than usual, and taking life a little less seriously. To all that shared my heartfelt thanks.

Jewel	24 Feb 2003
I have gained a new perspective on things since I started working with Tarot. Theredhead, I believe you summed it up very well when you said you laugh a little more, look at things a bit differently, and don't things as seriously (or as to heart). The tarot has also stimulated me to learn about things I otherwise would not have such as Qabalah, astrology, etc. It has helped me delve deeper into other cultures as well. I feel more well rounded if that makes sense. I have also been able to use the tarot for creative projects such as writting fantasy stories. I believe it has also worked well as a tool to look at the shadow aspects of myself, acknowledge them, and where possible integrate them. It has also worked well as a tool to see some of my areas for improvement so that I could take on action.

Silverlotus	24 Feb 2003
I have a slightly different take then most of the replies so far, mostly because I don't read for other people often. In generally, I'm using tarot as a tool for self-discovery along with my readings. I like to look at the cards and try to pick out all the symbolism I see. I've been writing it down, and keeping notes on what it means to me and what the card means to me. After I'm done making my notes, I read over what the deck's creator has to say about the card, and make more notes if I feel I want to incorporate their ideas for that card. I've also been comparing decks lately. Robin Wood, Tarot of the Old Path, Hanson-Roberts, and Goddess may all more or less be based on the same "tradition" of RWS, but each presents it in a different way. By looking at them together and deciding how I feel about each card, and seeing what one shows and another may not, I am learning a lot. There may be reasons why one deck presents something in a manner different then another (like Pagan decks vs. Christian decks), but that gives me the opportunity to explore the reasons for those differences and learn a little bit more about me and my beliefs. And as long as I keep buying decks :), I'll have new tools to explore and new comparisons to make.

Eowyn	24 Feb 2003
Finnally I can post!!!! After so many problems... I dont have time enough to read the hole thread, so excuse me if I say something repeated. What I do is read a lot... for someone else. Write down your reads. Write down (specially in your whitelittlebook) your own news interpretations and personal sights of a card. Read the less you can for yourself. This way you dont become dependant of tarot, and dont get disturbed. You accomplish this one by learning how and when to ask. I think this because when you use it too often, you miss the point of why using it? I think its not a tool -or however you wanna say it- for everyday use. Its for special needs. Try open reads, for yourself, dont asking questions. So, this way you let the tarot express it self about your present, because you usually know whats going on, and you learn how it expresses itself. Well, this are some of my own ideas, sorry if someone is not agree ;)

DarkChild	24 Feb 2003
your not alone silverlotus.... i too use tarot for myself, and don't do reading for others veryoften, so i do A LOT of journaling...and when i look at a card i listen to it and pick out the sybolisms in the illistrations, and write down what i see and hear. but if i come across a card that im not sure what it means, and it doesn't say anything to me, or i don't see verymuch in it, ill go to the book, see what it says. and if anything sticks with me, or opens other doors to the card, then ill write it down but in my own version.

The How did you grow? thread was originally posted on 21 Feb 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.